The Carl Andrews Question

Gov. Eliot Spitzer was asked at the ethics reform press conference this morning whether he was “concerned” about recent reports about the role of his longtime political ally and current employee, Carl Andrews, in the alleged sale of judgeships by former Assemblyman/ex-Brooklyn Democratic boss Clarence Norman.

Spitzer’s replied that he is “concerned about any allegations, obviously” adding: “this is something that the DA is looking at; We will await their judgment.”

UPDATE: I take that to mean Andrews will be keeping his job until Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes makes a move against him.

Spitzer endorsed Andrews, a former Democratic state senator, in his failed Congressional bid last fall. After Spitzer won the race for governor, he gave Andrews a $145,000-a-year job in his intergovernmental affairs office – a post that has never been formally announced, unlike Spitzer’s other state appointments.

Andrews played a key role inÂ delivering the African American vote for Spitzer in 1998 when he won a tight race against then-incumbent Republican AG Dennis Vacco.

A Spitzer aide said the DA’s investigation was recently brought to the administration’s attention and they are “looking into it seriously,” adding: “If there is proof of wrongdoing, we’ll act accordingly.”

The Daily News reported yesterday that Andrews allegedly took a $5,000 payoff, for which no services were received, from now-disgraced Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Reynold Mason who was at the time seeking to buy his seat on the bench.

Mason denied the charge, which was made by his ex-wife, but Andrews didn’t return the News’ calls for comment.

A recent Village Voice story alleged Andrews had been the bagman for a bribe paid to Norman in 2001 to land another judge a Supreme Court seat.

Andrews has said his only crime is “being Clarence Norman’s friend; guilty by association.”